Jointed yoke and actuator having a jointed yoke

Abstract

A joint fork (1) for connection to a joint. The joint fork having two side plates (2a, 3) that are arranged approximately parallel with one another, and each having a side plate surface (F1, F2). A web (2b) connects the side plates (2a, 3) with one another. A fixing bore (6) is arranged in the web (2b) and has a longitudinal axis (a). The joint forks (1) are coupled to an actuator. The side plate surfaces (F1, F2) form, with the longitudinal axis (a), an angle of inclination (α) and the angle of inclination (α) is in the range from 20° to 70°, in particular around 30°. The actuator is fitted with the joint forks (1).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A joint fork, for connecting to a joint, for a control arm or a rear-axle steering system, the joint fork comprising:
 first and second side plates being arranged at least substantially parallel to one another, and each of the first and the second side plates having a respective side plate surface, 
 a web connecting the first and the second side plates to one another, 
 a fixing bore arranged in the web and having a longitudinal axis, 
 the side plate surfaces forming an angle of inclination with the longitudinal axis, and the angle of inclination ranges from 20° to 70°, and one of the first and the second side plates is connected to the web such that the side plate surface thereof intersects the longitudinal axis of the fixing bore, 
 the joint fork is made in two parts and the one of the first and the second side plates is made as a separate component, and 
 the separate component is screwable onto the web of the joint fork. 
 
     
     
       2. The joint fork according to  claim 1 , wherein the web has threaded bores and fixing screws are threadable into the threaded bores to fix the separate component. 
     
     
       3. The joint fork according to  claim 1 , wherein the separate component is made as a sheet-metal component. 
     
     
       4. The joint fork according to  claim 1 , wherein the web and the other one of the first and the second side plates of the joint fork ( 1 ) is made as a forged component. 
     
     
       5. The joint fork according to  claim 4 , wherein the first side plate of the first and the second side plates and the web of the forged component merge into one another by way of a curved section and, in an area of the curved section, an attachment support is arranged coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the fixing bore. 
     
     
       6. The joint fork according to  claim 1 , wherein inside surfaces of the first and the second side plates are at least partially knurled. 
     
     
       7. The joint fork according to  claim 1 , wherein the angle of inclination is 30°. 
     
     
       8. An actuator with a spindle drive having a spindle for a rear-axle steering system of a motor vehicle, and the actuator comprising at least one joint fork connected to the spindle; and
 the at least one joint fork having first and second side plates being arranged at least substantially parallel to one another, 
 each of the first and second side plates having a respective side plate surface, 
 a web connecting the first and the second side plates to one another, 
 a fixing bore being arranged in the web and having a longitudinal axis, 
 the side plate surfaces form an angle of inclination with the longitudinal axis and the angle of inclination ranges from 20° to 70°, and one of the first and the second side plates is connected to the web such that the side plate surface thereof intersects the longitudinal axis of the fixing bore, 
 the at least one joint fork is made in two parts and the one of the first and the second side plates is made as a separate component, and 
 the separate component is screwable onto the web of the at least one joint fork. 
 
     
     
       9. The actuator according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one joint fork is connected to a screw-on stud of the spindle by a screw-bolt that passes through the fixing bore. 
     
     
       10. The joint fork according to  claim 9 , wherein the angle of inclination is 30°. 
     
     
       11. A joint fork for a control arm or a rear-axle steering system, for connecting to a joint, the joint fork comprising:
 first and second side plates being arranged parallel to one another, each of the first and the second side plates having a side plate surface, and the side plate surfaces of the first and the second side plates facing one another; 
 a web connecting the first and the second side plates to one another, and the web having a fixing bore which defines a longitudinal axis; 
 the side plate surfaces of the first and the second side plates being at an angle of inclination relative to the longitudinal axis, the angle of inclination ranges between 20° and 70°, and the side plate surface of one of the first and the second side plates intersects the longitudinal axis, 
 the joint fork is made in two parts and the one of the first and the second side plates is made as a separate component, and 
 the separate component is screwable onto the web of the joint fork ( 1 ). 
 
     
     
       12. The joint fork according to  claim 11 , wherein the angle of inclination is 30°.